In computer science, a virtual machine (VM) is a portion of software that, when executed on appropriate hardware, creates an environment allowing the virtualization of an actual physical computer system. Each VM may function as a self-contained platform, running its own operating system (guest OS) and software applications (processes). Typically, a virtual machine manager (VMM) manages allocation and virtualization of computer resources and performs context switching, as may be necessary, to cycle between various VMs.
A host machine (e.g., computer or server) is typically enabled to simultaneously run multiple VMs, where each VM may be used by a remote client. The host machine allocates a certain amount of the host's resources to each of the VMs. Each VM is then able to use the allocated resources to execute applications, including guest operating systems. The VMM virtualizes the underlying hardware of the host machine or emulates hardware devices, making the use of the VM transparent to the guest operating system or the remote client that uses the VM.
A VM may include one or more applications that generate data (e.g., images, video, etc.) to be displayed at a physical display device of the host machine. Currently, there is no mechanism that ensures a correspondence between display settings of the physical display device (e.g., resolution, orientation, display position, color depth, sub-pixel order, etc.) and those of the VM. As a result, the quality of rendered data is negatively affected.
Further, a VM may run in a remote server environment, in which a centralized server is partitioned into multiple VMs that may, for example, host virtual desktops, thereby providing a desktop for an end user of a remote client device. However, currently there is no mechanism that would ensure a correspondence between display settings of the VM that provides a desktop and the settings of the display devices of the remote client that render the desktop for the end user.